The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-07
MAYS PLANETS.
Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus and
Neptune all Evening Stars.
providence Journal

Saturn is evening star. Though exceeded
in size and brilliancy by Venus and Jupiter.
we give him the place of honor on the plane
tary records of May, for, after the passage of
this month, his light will grow dim among
the brotherhood, owing to his near approach
to the great luminary. Saturn also figures in
the most interesting planetary events of the
month. On the 3Oth, at MONDAY, Saturn and
Venus are in conjunction, the ringed wonder
of the skies being at that time 90 Is south of
the fairest of the stars. A powerful telescope
will bring out the planets at the time of con-
junction, or at the moment when they are Ia
the same right ascension, but observers with
the unaided eye viii find lovely picture
painted on the celestial canvas on the even
ings of the Goth and 30th. On the former
evening, Saturn will be east of Venus, and
on the latter evening he will be west of her.
The meeting and passing of two large PLAN
cts is always noteworthy event. The
moon on the day of her first quarter will lend
her silvery light to the scene, and the two
bright planets will hang side by side in the
western sky, coming into view soon after
sunset, and continuing to adorn the frma-
mIent until after 10 o'clock. 1t is as interest
DlaneTS
as 1t is to observe them when they are at the
nearest point, and this may be done on every
evening during the month.
Saturn continues in fine position for OBJ
servation. He is on the meridian about two
hours before sunset on the 1st and is there
fore well down in the west when it is dark
enough for the stars to appear. He is NOV
Ing eastward or in direct motion. and is still
south of Castor and Polluz. During the first
part Of the month he forms with the twin
stars the apex Of right-angled triangle, the
base being the line joining Castor and Pol
lux.
The right ascension of Saturn on the LIST is
III. 15m, his declination is 20e 81 north, his
diameter is II" 6, and he is in the constella-
ton Gemini.
Saturn sets on the LIST few minutes before
midnight; on the 3lst he sets about 10 o'clock
in the evening
Jupiter is evening star, and is superb OBJ
Ject during the month. He rises on the 1st
abouta half-hour before sunset and makes
his royal progress surrounded by the same
bodyguard of brilliant tirst-magnitude stars,
Spica on the west, Arcturus on the north,
and Regulus on the northwest. He is now
retrograding or moving west, approaching
Spica. On the LIST he is about 50 east of Spi-
ca, and on the 31st the distance between star
planet has refrigerated 30 during the month
The closing events of the month will be es-
pecially beautiful. Jupiter and his lovely
companion Spica will be near the meridian
at o'clock, and will look down upon Venus
and Saturn approaching each other and de-
scending in the west with Castor and Pollux
keeping guard on the nerth.
The month OF May will return for many
years before the three planets Jupiter, We
nus and Saturn win hold the same relative
position in regard to each other
The right ascension of Jupiter on the 1st is
l3h. 53m., his declination is 100 L south. his
diameter is A." a, and he is in the constella.
ton OF Virgo.
Jupiter sets on the list, a few midutes be-
fore half.past o'clock in the morning; on
the 3lst, he sets about quarter after .
o'clock.
Venus is evening star Venus became
evening star on the Sd of December last. and
has ever since been oscillating eastward from
the sun, increasing her distance from him,
and lessening her distance from the earth.
The former fact explains the reason why she
sets later every night, for the greater her
distance from the sun, the longer is her stay
above the horizon after his depart
ure. The second fact shows the reason why
she IS larger and brighter, for all the plan
cts as well as the sun and moon take
on this aspect as distance lessons be-
tween them and the earth. Venus will con-
tlnue to move eastward until the 18th of July
when she will turn her steps westward. be-
coming gloriously beautiful until she reaches
inferior conjunction on the 21st of September
Therefore the sky will be adorned by her
gracious presence throughout the whole
spring and summer and until the commence
ment OF the astronomical autumn. Venus.
in her course in April, made her eastward
way near some stars in Taurus. On the 10Th
she was in conjunction with the Pleiades,
ana was Lovely 70 behold ns as IS she ths
18th she met and passed Aidebaran. being ti 7o
north OF the star. She will make her shining
way during the present month in the neigh.
Dorh0od OF several stars as she goes to take
her part in that most interesting event fhe
meeting with Saturn, on the 30th already
junction with Beta Tauri, being 80 3O south.
On the 18th she is in conjunction with Zeta
Tauri, being A. north. On the 18th she has
entered new constellation, and is in con-
Junction nnnfs wit with zeta, Gemini, being A.
nearest point to Castor, and on the 10Th
she closes her brilliant career for the month
by her conjunction with Saturn. An opera
glass will aid the observer in tracing these
conjunctions.
The right ascension of Venus on the LIST is
Al. 59m., her declinatiou is 24e 1S' north, her
diameter is 49, 6, and she is in the constell-
alton Taurus.
Venus sets on the LIST about quarter be-
lore 10 o'clock in the evening; ON the 3lst
she sets quarter after 10 o'clock.
Uranus Is evening star Considerable in
one of the three planets that are visible in
the constellation Of the Virgin during the
whole month. The three planets are Jupi-
ter, Uranus and the asteroid Vesta. No di-
rIections are needed for finding Jupiter. If
the observer will take a little pains he will
ind the other two members of the trio.
Vestaiis the largest of the family of 265 as
teroids, and the only one visible to the naked
eye. She was in opposition with the sun on
the 10th Of April. and is therefore at nearly
her least distance from the earth. She NAV
be found about 120 north of Jupiter and a
few degrees northeast of Zeta, star of the
third magnitude IN the Virgin. Uranus NAV
be found about 200 northwest of Jupiter and
q 10, south of the thisd magnitude star Gam
ma Virgins. The three planets form an
sosceles triangle of which Jupiter and Vesta
are the base and Uranus is the summit. An
opera glass will be of service in tracing the
,wo smaller members of the trio for they
both shine as stars of the sixth magnitude,
he smallest that are visible to the unaided
'ye. The night also must be exceptionally
'ure, the sky cloudless and moon out of the
way In order to attain success. Things are
lot always what they seem, for the little as !